


Nightmares

by storm_8



Series: Joys of Motherhood [44]
Category: Women's Murder Club (TV)
Genre: F/F, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-23
Updated: 2013-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-15 22:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/854638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storm_8/pseuds/storm_8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lily has nightmares, Ashley always comes to the rescue. But what about when Ashley has nightmares?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the show or its characters. I merely borrow them for everyone's enjoyment.  
> I do own the original characters: I am quite fond of them!  
> All mistakes are mine.

It had been nagging at Cindy for quite a while. Lindsay knew something was up with the reporter, but every time she asked about it, the redhead would shrug her shoulders and shake her head. She’d then turn to her young daughters chasing Martha around the living room and let out a sigh.

This went on for some time and the brunette knew Cindy was reaching her breaking point. After all, the woman was curious by nature and could not keep something to herself before she started ranting and spouting off theories. Of course, she sometimes picked a rather unlikable time to address whatever had been on her mind.

“Don’t you think it’s odd?” The redhead had asked one night, after they’d gone to bed.

Lindsay had jerked awake; she had been on the verge of falling asleep and her lover’s voice right next to her ear had sent a shock through her system. “Huh… wha- what?”

Cindy turned in the inspector’s arms. “Do you think it’s odd? Never once has Lily come into our room at night, because of a nightmare…”

The taller woman blinked in confusion. “Cindy, what on earth are you talking about?”

“Well, remember when Ashley was younger? When she had nightmares, she’d come in here clutching her favourite stuffed penguin, and ask if she could sleep in our bed because she’d had a nightmare. Lily has never once done that…”

“Cindy, Ash was four years old when she’d cry about a nightmare. She’s seven now and she has decided that she’ll always be the superhero in her dreams; saving everyone, including the penguins she loves so much, and never afraid of anything.” Lindsay closed her eyes, trying to communicate that she wanted to sleep without actually saying so.

“But what about Lily?” The reporter insisted; the brunette sighed. “Doesn’t she have nightmares? Or does she not think that she can come to us if she does?”

“You worry too much.” She smiled then. “I know she has nightmares sometimes. But she goes seeking comfort with someone else. Or do you think that Ashley’s protective streak does not extend to her little sister’s nightmares?”

Cindy gaped in utter astonishment.

******

 

Just down the hall, a small figure was padding hastily toward Ashley’s bedroom door, a blue teddy bear clutched tightly in one hand. A hand reached for the doorknob and turned it, the figure slipping into the dark room and sniffling a bit.

Hugging the teddy bear to her body, 5 year old Lily padded toward her sister’s bed and pulled lightly on the covers. “Ash?” She asked in a quiet voice, sniffling again.

The older girl let out a snore and turned over in her sleep. Lily pulled on the covers again, going back to holding her plushy bear when the brunette blinked and sat up with a yawn. “Lily?”

“Ash, I had a nightmare…” The younger girl sniffled again, looking up at her sister with teary eyes.

Ashley quickly wrapped the girl in her arms. “What was it? Was it dragons, ‘cause I will beat them all with my sword!” She proclaimed. “Or was a boy picking on you? I will stomp on his foot if he does that again!”

Lily giggled, fisting a hand in her sister’s T-shirt. “No… it was a monster… It jumped out of the closet and got mama…” She climbed under the covers and snuggled into the older girl, the teddy bear between them. “It was scary… Mama was hurt…”

 

“Ah! Stupid monster… Mommy would kick it and save mama and I would come protect you! And Martha would bite it in the tail!” The brunette girl stated indignantly, puffing out her chest. “If he comes back you tell ‘im me and mommy will get him, ‘kay?”

The redhead nodded. “Thanks for pwotecting me, Ash. You’re the best sister…”

The 7 year old beamed proudly at that and hugged the smaller girl close.

Lily fell back asleep almost instantly, secure in the fact that if the scary monster came back in her dreams, her sister would beat him with her light sabre (even if it was plastic) and that her mommy would come save her mama.

******

 

Years later, after her friend Mike had been shot on school grounds and killed, Lily had nightmares for months. She had long outgrown her need for Ashley to comfort her and she had been a bit hesitant the first time she’d gone back into her sister’s room and slipped into bed next to her. But the older girl had just scooted over and wrapped her in tight embrace, trying to comfort her as she cried herself to sleep.

But even Ashley would have dreams where she couldn’t save Lily from the shooter; she was always just a second too slow and she’d watch as Morrison shot her sister and she’d die. The brunette woke up sweating and heart beating wildly, a scream stuck in her throat.

Lindsay was there even before her daughter woke up. “Ash, it’s okay.” She tried to reassure her. “Lily’s safe. You’re safe.”

“Mom… He shot her and I couldn’t-” The tears started streaming down her face and she latched onto her mother desperately.

“Shhh… Lily is fine. I just checked and she’s sleeping soundly, all wrapped up in her blanket and her all time favourite teddy bear, Mr. Blue…”

“No, I’m not…” Came the quiet voice from the doorway; Cindy stood behind her, hands on the girl’s shoulders.

The two redheads walked into the dark room, the reporter sitting down next to her lover and Lily settling into her sister’s arms; it was much for her own comfort as it was to reassure the older girl that she was indeed safe.

“You know…” Cindy started, lacing a hand with the inspector’s and smiling at her two daughters, trying to alleviate some of their torment. “I used to think Lily never had nightmares.”

The girl in question looked curiously at her mother.

“In Ashley’s case, she’d always come into our room in the middle of the night, clutching Pingu and wanting to sleep in our bed, because she’d had a bad dream.”

The brunette teen gave a small smile, glancing toward the shelf where her favourite stuffed animal still sat after all the years.

“And then with you, Lily… You never did that. It worried me that you might think you couldn’t talk to us if you had nightmares… But then your mother told me that you’d come sleep next to Ashley.” Cindy turned to her eldest daughter. “She told me how you would tell Lily that you’d beat the monsters and dragons for her, using your light sabre.”

The 14 year old girl giggled, while Ash grinned in slight embarrassment. Lindsay chuckled and ran a hand through the brunette’s hair in a comforting gesture.

The redhead woman continued. “She also told me how you decided that you didn’t want to have more nightmares and be scared if you did have them; you proclaimed to always be the superhero in your dreams and save the world, the penguins and not let the monsters or bad guys scare you.”

Ashley nodded, understanding what her mother was trying to tell her.

From then on, her nightmares became less frequent; she was able to get to her sister in time, saving her from the shooter, along with the odd penguin that somehow managed to sneak into the story. When Lily snuck into her room, she’d dig out her old light sabre and swing it around a few times while imitating Darth Vader, until her sister was laughing hysterically and had completely forgotten about her nightmare.


End file.
